Operation Dry Water (ODW) is a year-round national campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol- and drug-related incidents and fatalities on the water. The 2024 Operation Dry Water heightened awareness and enforcement weekend starts today, July 4, and runs through Saturday, July 6, nationwide.

LEXINGTON, Ky., July 4, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On Wednesday, July 3, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in partnership with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), the U.S. Coast Guard, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and the City of Destin, kicked off the 2024 Operation Dry Water heightened awareness and enforcement weekend with a press conference at U.S. Coast Guard Station Destin.

Operation Dry Water (ODW) is a year-round national campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol- and drug-related incidents and fatalities on the water. Annually, ODW facilitates a three-day heightened awareness and enforcement weekend, targeting operators who choose to boat under the influence (BUI) of alcohol or drugs. The 2024 Operation Dry Water heightened awareness and enforcement weekend starts today, July 4, and runs through Saturday, July 6, nationwide.

"We are all here today to talk about the preventable crime of boating under the influence and what we are doing to educate boaters and prevent future incidents related to impaired boating," said Taylor Kirshe, NASBLA Communications and Marketing Director. "In 2009, NASBLA in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, launched the Operation Dry Water campaign to address the problem of impaired boating on our nation's waterways."

Alcohol use continues to be the leading contributing factor in recreational boater fatalities, and a leading factor in recreational boating incidents.* Nationally there has also been a rise in incidents related to drug impairment.

"Boating under the influence is just as serious and just as deadly as driving under the influence," said Colonel Brian Smith, Director of FWC Division of Law Enforcement. "We want nothing more than for everyone to enjoy this holiday weekend. Celebrate with your friends and family, but nothing can ruin a day on the water faster than a boating incident."

Law enforcement agencies from all 56 U.S. states and territories, including the U.S. Coast Guard, will participate in Operation Dry Water. These agencies and their officers will concentrate on detecting impaired boaters, removing them from our nation's waterways, and educating the public about the dangers of boating under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

"We have 25,000 boats registered in just Okaloosa County, not to mention the bordering counties that come to the area to visit," said Sheriff Eric Aden, Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. Okaloosa County ranks the highest in boating under the influence arrests in Florida. "That number decreased significantly from 2022 to 2023 by 77%. A large testament to this is due to the deterrence and enforcement we have done throughout the past years."

While many people recognize that impairment is dangerous for the operator of any vessel, boating under the influence is also extremely perilous for passengers as well.**

"The past few years have been treacherous, not just on our roads, but on our waterways as well," said Kristen Allen, MADD Northwest Florida. "We want everyone to understand that a boat is a vehicle and that boating under the influence is driving under the influence. BUI is DUI."

Along with promoting increased awareness of the dangers surrounding impaired boating, NASBLA believes that the best way to reduce boating under the influence is to strengthen law enforcement capabilities on the water. Throughout the country, many law enforcement officers participate in boating under the influence training to stay up to date on the latest developments in detection and enforcement.

"In 2010, NASBLA was able to roll out a scientifically validated battery of field sobriety tests that could be administered in the seated position. Since this time, these tests have been in widespread use both on the land and on the water," said Todd Radabaugh, NASBLA BUI Program Manager. "This was a gamechanger for the maritime professional. Officers can make accurate arrest or no-arrest decisions out on the water, and this saves everybody time – the public and the maritime professional."

The enhanced training and tools provided to law enforcement have significantly improved their ability to prevent and respond to boating under the influence incidents. This heightened level of enforcement underscores the broader impact of boating under the influence, which extends far beyond the immediate victims. The repercussions affect the lives of their loved ones and the community as a whole.

"When you think about these boating incidents, don't think just in terms of the lives lost but the tremendous impact beyond that 'one' in the statistics that boating under the influence causes. It causes far greater harm than that," said Paul Barnard, U.S. Coast Guard Eighth District.

Maintaining a drug- and alcohol-free environment on the water is essential for safe boating, as is wearing a life jacket, using an engine cut-off switch, and completing a boating education course before heading out on the water.

Operation Dry Water (ODW) is produced under a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard and is a product of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA).

*2023 U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics
**2019 NASBLA Boating Under the Influence (BUI) Research Report

Media Contact

Taylor Kirshe, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, 859.225.9487, taylor@nasbla.org, https://www.nasbla.org/home

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SOURCE National Association of State Boating Law Administrators